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A Multi-Generational Bar Mitzvah Celebration: A Triumph of Resilience and Faith

Thursday, 26 December, 2024 - 1:32 pm

A few months ago, I received a call from Jessica*, asking if I could officiate her son’s bar mitzvah. Jessica regularly attends our events and is an integral part of our community. My wife and I have known her for many years, even before she had a family of her own, and we eagerly accepted. I soon found myself immersed in a truly unforgettable experience.

The ceremony took place on Shabbat afternoon, as the young boy was called up to the Torah for his inaugural aliyah. He did a superb job donning his tallit and reading the blessings that he practiced and put so much effort into. As I looked around the room, I noticed something remarkable—the boy’s father, too, had never had the opportunity to have an aliyah before. My heart swelled with excitement as I realized I now had the privilege of performing a dual bar mitzvah ceremony—not only for the young boy but also for his father.

And that was not all! As I delved deeper into the family’s story, I discovered that their history was marked by the harsh realities of living in the Soviet Union, where Judaism was forcibly suppressed. They lived in Russia for many years, where Stalin devoted enormous resources to eradicating all remnants of Judaism, and the grandfather had therefore also never had a bar mitzvah.

But Stalin didn’t win. This family’s Jewish heritage remained aflicker all those years, just waiting to be fanned back into a roaring fire.

As I stood there watching three generations of one family celebrating their bar mitzvahs, I couldn't help but think of the powerful metaphor of the seed. Our sages teach us that a Jew is like a seed. Just as a seed can lie dormant, only to sprout forth when conditions are ripe, so can the spark of Judaism remain hidden, waiting for the right moment to ignite. And ignite it did, as we celebrated with the entire community, the shul filled with love, laughter, tears, and the sweet scent of tradition.

The next day, I had the privilege of helping the father and son don tefillin for the first time, watching the ancient Jewish tradition being passed down again through the generations.

It struck me this week that this family’s journey of resilience and faith is not unlike the Maccabees’ determination to fight for and reclaim their heritage. Despite the darkness of Soviet oppression and the very real threat and fear that Jews who lived there faced for generations, the Jewish spark remained intact.

As we celebrate Chanukah, we are reminded that even in the darkest of times, the light of Judaism can never be fully extinguished. May we continue to kindle that light, spreading its warmth and radiance to all those around us.

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